HAWC Detection of a TeV Halo Candidate Surrounding a Radio-quiet Pulsar

Albert A, Alfaro R, Arteaga-Velázquez JC, Ayala Solares HA, Belmont-Moreno E, Capistrán T, Carramiñana A, Casanova S, Cotzomi J, De León SC, Fuente EDl, de León C, Diaz Hernandez R, DuVernois MA, Díaz-Vélez JC, Espinoza C, Fan KL, Fraija N, Fang K, García-González JA, Garfias F, Jardin-Blicq A, González MM, Goodman JA, Harding JP, Hernandez S, Huang D, Hueyotl-Zahuantitla F, Hüntemeyer P, Iriarte A, Joshi V, Lara A, Lee J, Vargas HL, Linnemann JT, Longinotti AL, Luis-Raya G, Malone K, Martinez O, Martínez-Castro J, Matthews JA, Morales-Soto JA, Moreno E, Mostafá M, Nayerhoda A, Nellen L, Newbold M, Nisa MU, Araujo YP, Son Y, Pérez-Pérez EG, Rho CD, Rosa-González D, Sandoval A, Schneider M, Serna-Franco J, Smith AJ, Springer RW, Tollefson K, Torres I, Torres-Escobedo R, Wang X, Whitaker K, Willox E, Zhou H (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Book Volume: 944

Article Number: L29

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/acb5ee

Abstract

Extended very-high-energy (VHE; 0.1-100 TeV) γ-ray emission has been observed around several middle-aged pulsars and referred to as “TeV halos.” Their formation mechanism remains under debate. It is also unknown whether they are ubiquitous or related to a certain subgroup of pulsars. With 2321 days of observation, the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Gamma-Ray Observatory detected VHE γ-ray emission at the location of the radio-quiet pulsar PSR J0359+5414 with >6σ significance. By performing likelihood tests with different spectral and spatial models and comparing the TeV spectrum with multiwavelength observations of nearby sources, we show that this excess is consistent with a TeV halo associated with PSR J0359+5414, though future observation of HAWC and multiwavelength follow-ups are needed to confirm this nature. This new halo candidate is located in a noncrowded region in the outer galaxy. It shares similar properties to the other halos but its pulsar is younger and radio-quiet. Our observation implies that TeV halos could commonly exist around pulsars and their formation does not depend on the configuration of the pulsar magnetosphere.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Los Alamos National Laboratory United States (USA) (US) National Autonomous University of Mexico / Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) Mexico (MX) Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH) Mexico (MX) Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) United States (USA) (US) National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico / Instituto Politécnico Nacional de México Mexico (MX) University of Utah United States (USA) (US) National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics / Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE) Mexico (MX) Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences / Instytut Fizyki Jądrowej im. Henryka Niewodniczańskiego Polskiej Akademii Nauk Poland (PL) Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP) / Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla Mexico (MX) University of Wisconsin - Madison United States (USA) (US) Universidad de Guadalajara (UDEG) Mexico (MX) University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) United States (USA) (US) Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM) Mexico (MX) Université de Bordeaux France (FR) Michigan Technological University United States (USA) (US) Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas (UNACH) Mexico (MX) Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) Korea, Republic of (KR) Michigan State University United States (USA) (US) Universidad Politécnica de Pachuca (UPP) Mexico (MX) University of New Mexico (UNM) / Universidad de Nuevo México United States (USA) (US) Shanghai Jiao Tong University / 上海交通大学 China (CN)

How to cite

APA:

Albert, A., Alfaro, R., Arteaga-Velázquez, J.C., Ayala Solares, H.A., Belmont-Moreno, E., Capistrán, T.,... Zhou, H. (2023). HAWC Detection of a TeV Halo Candidate Surrounding a Radio-quiet Pulsar. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 944(2). https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acb5ee

MLA:

Albert, A., et al. "HAWC Detection of a TeV Halo Candidate Surrounding a Radio-quiet Pulsar." Astrophysical Journal Letters 944.2 (2023).

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